Star Wars Battlefront 2 Patch Notes Fix BB-8, Nerf Vader

The most recent update to Star Wars Battlefront 2 added the pair of BB droids, the lovable BB-8 and his evil First Order doppelganger BB-9E. But no droid rolls off the assembly line bug-free, so DICE has announced plans for an upcoming patch that will make some adjustments to the droids among other fixes and balance changes.

The patch notes mention fixes for the BB units having the wrong voiceover lines, and for Grevious’ Claw Rush move sometimes draining opponent stamina. The MC85 Star Cruiser and Resurgent-Class Star Destroyer are both getting improvements to collision detection, visual effects, and lighting.

Some balance changes are coming as well. Those include Battle Point gain reduced by 50% for the Ovissian Gunner, Caphex Spy, Sith Trooper, and First Order Jet Trooper, aligning them with other Reinforcement units. The big bad Darth Vader himself is getting a big bad nerf as well, with damage reduction going from 75% down to 20%.

The update is set to go live on Wednesday, February 12 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. You can check the times and full patch notes below.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 February 12 Patch Times

  • PC: 4 AM ET / 1 AM PT
  • PS4: 5 AM ET / 2 AM PT
  • Xbox One: 6 AM ET / 3 AM PT

Star Wars Battlefront 2 February 12 Patch Notes

  • Fixed an issue where the boarding cinematic would be visible when completing the final objective on any of the Capital Ships on Jakku.
  • Fixed an issue that would allow the First Order Jet Trooper to dash more than 2 times.
  • Fixed an issue where spamming both the main fire and secondary fire keys for BB-8 would drain the stamina quickly, without dealing the appropriate amount of damage
  • Fixed an issue where BB-8’s Spinner Star Card would grant 20 seconds of cooldown reduction, instead of 10, on Epic rarity.
  • Fixed an issue where there would be no audio playing when inspecting the BB-8 and BB-9E Voice Lines in the Front End menu.
  • Fixed an issue where BB-8 and BB-9E would eventually play the wrong VO lines when they were disrupted.
  • Various collision, VFX and lighting improvements on the MC85 Star Cruiser and Resurgent-class Star Destroyer.
  • Lowered the heat cost for the spool-up functionality on the Heavy Trooper’s Sentry abilities.
  • Fixed an issue where General Grievous’ Claw Rush could completely drain the stamina of an opponent.
  • Reduced the gain in Battle Points by 50% for the Ovissian Gunner, Caphex Spy, Sith Trooper and First Order Jet Trooper, to be consistent with the other Reinforcements.
  • Made improvements to resolve issues with hit registration, despite dodging Lightsaber and melee attacks
  • Fixed an issue that would block the VO from the emotes of the Republic Officer on Kamino or Geonosis.
  • Fixed a localization issue with the message “First Order Jet Trooper Available” being too long for the kill screen in Japanese.
  • Made improvements to resolve visual issues with textures popping-in, when transporting to the capital ships on Jakku, Takodana and Ajan Kloss.
  • Lowered the damage reduction on Darth Vader while using Choke from 75% to 20%.
  • Updated the mode description for Ewok Hunt.

Apex Legends Season 4 Brings Back Duos For Valentine’s Day Event

Respawn Entertainment is feeling the love this Valentine’s, as the studio recently announced that its Duos mode will return to Apex Legends in a limited-time event, Valentine’s Day Rendezvous. This is the first time that Duos has been in Apex Legends since November 2019.

Rendezvous also includes a badge, an XP boost for playing with a buddy, and two new gun charms. Last year’s Valentine’s day items, the Through the Heart Longbow skin and Love of the Game Pathfinder banner, are also available once more at a discount. This event comes in the wake of Apex’s Season 4, which introduced a new Legend, Revenant, a cyber-ninja with talents that improve the survivability of both you and your allies.

Apex’s Season 4 also introduces a whole new Battle Pass and a new weapon, a bolt-action sniper rifle dubbed Sentinel. Respawn has also radically overhauled the popular World’s Edge map with a giant drill that split the terrain in twain. There are also some more granular changes in the patch notes, such as the addition of specialized sniper ammo for the game’s long-range rifles, like the Longbow and Charge Rifle.

Coronavirus Will Have No “Significant Impact” On Switch Sales In The West, Says Nintendo

Despite confirming that the coronavirus will cause shipping problems in Japan, Nintendo has announced that sales of Switch consoles and accessories won’t be impacted in North America and Europe.

In a statement to Kotaku last week, a Nintendo of America spokesperson said the company does not anticipate the coronavirus having a “significant impact” on the distribution of Nintendo Switch consoles and accessories. This includes pre-orders like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Joy-Con controllers, and more.

“We can confirm that the manufacturing of some Nintendo products for the Japanese market has been delayed due to the impact of [the] 2019-nCoV coronavirus outbreak,” the spokesperson said. “Nintendo does not anticipate a significant impact on our broader global supply chain for systems and accessories at this time, and product sales in North America and Europe, including preorders, are not affected. We would like to express our concern and support for all those affected by the coronavirus during this challenging time.”

Earlier this month, Nintendo said that Switch console and accessory manufacturing would be delayed in Japan because of the coronavirus outbreak. What the company called an “unavoidable” move, a senior analyst at games market research firm Niko Partners told CNBC that the decision could have huge ramifications in the US.

“China is important for manufacturing of some game hardware, phones, and other components, and we believe that the entire supply chain of manufactured goods will be impacted–much more than just games,” Niko Partners’ Daniel Ahmad explained. “When looking at games consoles specifically, we note that 96% of video game consoles imported into the U.S. in 2018 were produced in China. Whilst companies such as Nintendo have moved some manufacturing abroad, China still accounts for the majority.”

Despite 10 Nominations, Netflix’s The Irishman Gets Shut Out At Oscars

There were a lot of winners at the Oscars, chief among them the Korean film Parasite, which became the first non-English language film to win Best Picture in the history of the ceremony, taking home three other awards in the process. But there was one high-profile project that didn’t get any love from the Academy, among others: Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman.

Its star-studded cast and Scorsese’s reputation as one of cinema’s best living directors led many to lobby for it to win Best Picture, but in the end, the Netflix-produced three-plus hour crime epic didn’t win any Oscars, despite its 10 nominations. That didn’t stop Parasite director Bong Joon-ho from giving Scorsese a shout-out (along with fellow nominee Quentin Tarantino) in his victory speech for Best Director, however.

This is nothing new for Scorsese: he’s been nominated for Best Director 9 times, winning only once, for The Departed, which also won Best Picture. As for The Irishman, it’s in good company–Taxi Driver, arguably Scorsese’s most-acclaimed film, didn’t win any Oscars either. (Raging Bull did, though.)

Over the last few years, critics have lambasted the Academy for not doing enough to celebrate women directors, pointing out that only one woman, Kathryn Bigelow, has won the Best Director award in the entire history of the Oscars. While there are plenty of women directors who could’ve made the cut this year, one name in particular stands out as particularly galling: Greta Gerwig. Her film Little Women was nominated for six different awards, including Best Picture.

CoD: Modern Warfare Season 2 – Here’s What Launches On Tuesday

Season Two of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare begins tomorrow, February 11. The season offers a brand-new battle pass of rewards to earn, modes to play, challenges to complete, and missions to take on. You won’t get everything on launch day though. In the following article, we list all of the new content that will be available in Modern Warfare on day one of Season Two.

The new season launches with two new multiplayer maps (Rust and Atlas Superstore), a new Ground War map (Zhokov Boneyard), and several new Gunfight maps. You’ll also gain access to two new multiplayer modes–Gunfight Tournaments and Call of Duty League Ruleset Playlist–as well as the Ghost operator. Both the GRAU 5.56 and Striker 45 will be added as new weapons too.

That’s all the new content specifically coming tomorrow. The remaining map, two operators, four modes, and weapon will be added to Modern Warfare later in Season Two. You can see a visual representation of the split in the image embedded below.

The return of Rust is the big content drop for Season Two. For those who don’t know, Rust is another remake of a classic Modern Warfare map. Specifically belonging to 2009’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Rust is modeled off of the Endgame mission from the game’s campaign. It’s a small map, but Rust offers a lot of vertical movement–allowing you to ambush enemies from both above and below.

Most of Season Two's content will drop on day one, but you'll need to wait until later in the season to see the rest of the new modes, maps, operators, and weapons.
Most of Season Two’s content will drop on day one, but you’ll need to wait until later in the season to see the rest of the new modes, maps, operators, and weapons.

In GameSpot’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare review, Kallie Plagge wrote, “The pitfalls of Spec Ops don’t detract from what Modern Warfare does well, though. Realism mode is an excellent addition to the slate, and although not all the new multiplayer modes are great, Gunfight and the Night Vision playlist are refreshing standouts. And while the campaign ends up playing it safe in the end, it’s still a memorable one, and it lays a strong foundation for where the Modern Warfare series could go from here.”

Though it’s incredibly obvious–given the annual nature of the franchise–Activision Blizzard has confirmed that a new Call of Duty game is in development and scheduled to release later this year.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 2 Begins Tomorrow, Here’s What It Adds

Another new Call of Duty game is on the way later this year, but in the meantime, a new season of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is about to kick off very soon. Season 2 of Activision’s hit shooter begins on PS4, Xbox One, and PC tomorrow, February 11, and it’ll bring a new Battle Pass, free maps, modes, and lots of other content over the next few weeks.

First, two new multiplayer maps will be available for all players right from launch day: Rust and Atlas Superstore. The former is a classic battleground originally featured in Modern Warfare 2, while the latter is an entirely new map set in a warehouse. A third new multiplayer map, Khandor Hideout, will also arrive during the season.

On top of that, Season 2 will launch with a new map for both Ground War (Zhokov Boneyard) and Gunfight (Bazaar). Two new multiplayer modes will also be available from the start of the season, including Gunfight Tournaments–a limited-time 2v2 single elimination competition for 32 teams.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 2 roadmap
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 2 roadmap

Rounding out the launch day content is Ghost, who is being added to Modern Warfare as a playable Operator. Two new free weapons will also be available from the start of the season: the Grau 5.56 and Striker 45.

Developer Infinity Ward will be rolling out even more content during the course of Season 2, including another handful of new modes such as Demolition, Infected Ground War, and NVG Reinforce. This season will also add another two Operators to the mix–Talon and Mace–as well as a new, as-yet-unrevealed weapon. You can read more about Season 2 on Activision’s official website.

As previously mentioned, Season 2 of Modern Warfare will launch alongside a new Battle Pass, which will be split into free and paid tiers. Any near gear that affects the game’s balance–such as the aforementioned Grau 5.56 and Striker 45–will be unlockable through the free tier, while the latter will offer cosmetics, weapon blueprints, XP tokens, and other benefits. Activision is also offering a Battle Pass Bundle, which can be purchased anytime during the season and will grant you 20 Tier skips.

Two Popular PS4 Controller Colors Are Back For A Limited Time

Over the PS4’s lifespan, dozens of DualShock 4 color combinations have been released, but two of the most popular colors have been out of stock for quite some time: the Sunset Orange and Berry Blue controllers. Initially announced back in August 2018, these limited-edition controllers sold out quickly when they first hit the market, and they’ve been hard to find ever since. Fans who couldn’t get their hands on these controllers at the time are in luck, however, as Sony is restocking these shades for a limited time.

Available only in the US and Canada, the Berry Blue and Sunset Orange controllers are selling at full price ($65 each) while supplies last. The striking Berry Blue controller features a turquoise faceplate along with burgundy buttons, joysticks, and backplate. Meanwhile, the Sunset Orange controller feels like it’s channeling Goku with its bright orange faceplate and navy blue features. You can buy them both from PlayStation Direct, but if you prefer to buy from Amazon, the retailer seems to have gotten some stock as well. The two colors are available for Prime shipping, and they’re shipped from and sold by Amazon.

Of course, you might be wondering if it’s worth it to add another DualShock 4 to your collection with PS5 on the way. Unfortunately, we still don’t know enough about PlayStation’s next-gen console, including whether it will be compatible with the DualShock 4. We do know, however, that the PS5 will be backward-compatible with PS4 games, and the newly released back button attachment may be a way of upgrading the DualShock 4’s functionality for next-gen games. With PS5 releasing this holiday season, we’re sure to get more information on the new PlayStation’s compatibility soon.

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DualShock 4 – Berry Blue controller | $65

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DualShock 4 – Sunset Orange controller | $65

Of course, there are numerous other colors available for the DualShock 4, and many of them are regularly on sale at this point if you don’t want to shell out $65. Amazon has quite a few DualShock 4 color variations available for less than $50, including the stunning Titanium Blue, Magma Red, and Gold shades.

Classic CoD Map Rust Returns In Modern Warfare Season 2

Along with their announcement that they’re releasing a new Call of Duty this new Call of Duty this year, Activision has revealed the roadmap for Season 2 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s multiplayer, and it includes an old favorite: Rust. Known as one of the smallest maps in the entire Call of Duty franchise, Rust has divided fans since it first debuted back in 2009’s Modern Warfare 2.

Like the infamous Shipment from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the compact size of the map means that you’re likely to spawn in the crosshairs of one of your opponents, making for very quick matches. The map is also known for encouraging tactics that some players dislike, like camping and grenade spamming. Still, if you like quick and dirty close-quarters-combat, Rust is the map for you.

Rust takes place in the middle of a sandstorm
Rust takes place in the middle of a sandstorm

Rust will be available at the launch of Season 2 on February 11, and it’s free to those who already own Modern Warfare. It also includes new maps and a Battle Pass. Not everything will be available on day one, but there is plenty of content hitting on Tuesday.

Here’s How Much Sony Paid For Spider-Man PS4 Dev

When Sony purchased Spider-Man developer Insomniac Games, it seemed like a natural fit for a studio that had long worked closely with PlayStation on exclusives. Recent financial disclosures show just how much Sony paid for the developer.

Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad noted on Twitter that according to recent SEC filings, Sony paid roughly $229 million, mostly in cash, when the deal closed in November. The sale was first announced in August.

Spider-Man was a huge success for both Insomniac and Sony, breaking first-party sales records that had been set by God of War. The relationship seemed mutual, as Sony games chairman Shawn Layden said the studio was a perfect fit, and Insomniac called it a “homecoming.”

Insomniac had worked mostly on PlayStation exclusives since its founding in 1994, and was known for mascot-driven platformers like Spyro the Dragon and Ratchet & Clank. Though it worked on a handful of iOS and multiplatform games, and the Xbox One exclusive Sunset Overdrive, Spider-Man was a return to PlayStation exclusivity, as Sony owns the game rights to the character.

The iconic character design with a white spider logo has become referenced in other fiction as part of the multi-verse, and even immortalized with collectibles. Sony has also regularly used the game to illustrate the faster load times on the upcoming PS5. For more details, read our feature on how Marvel’s Spider-Man came together.